Railway Tavern

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

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Users say
(5)

4 out of 5 stars

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

The Railway Tavern, on a residential street in the fringes of Islington, is essentially a local – but it’s to its credit that drinkers from locales further afield will travel to visit. The owners of the Pineapple in Kentish Town returned this pub to its original name and gave it a thoughtful, mid-century-style makeover, with a few bits of artful railway ephemera here and there. Food is Thai; there’s live music.

But the beer selection is something special, and served with a dedication that prospective London publicans would do well to emulate. There are six regularly changing real ales on tap, and they’re often made in London – from Redemption, Brodie’s or the East London Brewing Company, for instance; on the recently expanded keg taps are Meantime London Lager, König Pilsner, Black Isle Porter and Brewdog’s 5am Saint. The bottles pay homage to the microbrewing nous of the Americans, with the likes of Brooklyn, Anchor and Sierra Nevada, although there’s also a good few Europeans. It’s also a place to sample the latest hop explosions from Bermondsey’s cult Kernel Brewery.

No mainstream sops for the unadventurous sipper in sight, and brews are served in handled, dimpled pint mugs: magic.

Awful. Badly kept beer - Hackney ales too cold and Becks Vier nearly flat - and a manageress with a seriously bad attitude. Like she was doing us a favour. Come 11pm (!) she was slamming chairs up on every table she could like she hated the place. So get another job. Cold, unfriendly pub but good for posers who don't know better.

Really awesome pub.
Not to be confused with the Railway Tavern confusingly situated 100m to the East.
The beer here is well kept, and there's lots of variety. There will always be something new on tap, and if there's a good selection of bottles too. The food is good and good value. The atmosphere is pleasant too, and the TfL decor is cool in its own way.

Excellent pub - great beer, feel of a local community pub, music but discrete, great pork pies on the bar, really good thai food, super screened off tv/film are so it doesn't dominate and really friendly, efficient and happy staff. Even seen a hairdresser cutting hair in the corner on a Saturday afternoon